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United States Patent | 5,076,618 |
Bridges | December 31, 1991 |
A pipe coupling and method for sealing pipe joints or leaks from the interior of the pipe line are disclosed. A continuous gasket member is positioned against the inside surface of the pipe line on each side of the leak location, a coupling member including at least one axial joint within the line is positioned to span the continuous gasket members, an axial gasket is positioned at the axial joint, and the coupling member is expanded to compress the continuous gasket members and the axial gasket member to prevent leakage of fluid from within the pipe line. The invention provides a convenient apparatus and method for repairing leaks in pipe lines when the exterior of the pipes cannot be conveniently exposed and the interior of the pipe line is accessible.
Inventors: | Bridges; Donald Y. (3014 Creek Ct., Roswell, GA 30075) |
Appl. No.: | 421145 |
Filed: | October 13, 1989 |
Current U.S. Class: | 285/370; 138/97; 285/910 |
Intern'l Class: | F16L 021/02 |
Field of Search: | 285/370,371,397,398,109,910 277/101,208,209,210,192,197 138/97,98 |
1607943 | Nov., 1926 | Carson et al. | |
2913262 | Nov., 1959 | Cenzo et al. | |
3153550 | Oct., 1964 | Hollett. | |
3700265 | Oct., 1972 | Dufour et al. | 138/97. |
3915197 | Oct., 1975 | Piccirilli | 138/97. |
3960395 | Jun., 1976 | Cirule et al. | 285/370. |
4347018 | Aug., 1982 | Wrightson et al. | 138/97. |
4360227 | Nov., 1982 | Bridges. | |
4664428 | May., 1987 | Bridges | 285/373. |
4927189 | May., 1990 | Burkit | 285/109. |
Brochure of Miller Pipeline Corp. "WEKO-SEAL Internal Joint System for Water and Wastewater Piping," (Rev. 3/88) (4 pages). Brochure of Amex Gesellschaft Fur Rohrleitungsbauteile und Anlagentechnik mbH, "AMEX-10-Reconstruction and Sealing System for Accessible Pipelines; AMEX 32-400 Foil Relining for Non-accessible Pipelines" (20 pages). Brochure of Brico Industries, Inc., "DEPEND-O-LOK" Mechanical Coupling Systems, catalog 202 (10 pages). |